Improvement in flying toys



W. S. HULL. Flying-Toy.

No. 205,647. Patented July 2,1878.

ATTBBNEYS.

NJFTERS. PHOTO-UTNOGRAPHER, WASHINGYON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIoE.

VILLIAM S. IIULL,OF JACKSOX, MISSISSIPPI.

'IMDPROVEMVSENT IN FLYING TOYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,6 17, dated July 2,1878; application filed March 9, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. HULL, of Jackson, in the county of Hindsand State of Mississippi, have invented a new and Improved Aerostat; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawing, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is alongitudinal section of the aerostat arranged for a toy; Fig. 2, atransverse section through line a: m of Fig. 1, looking from left toright. Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of the aerostat arranged for aflying-machine.

My invention relates to a novel construction of aerostat, the same beingdesigned to be used either in miniature form as a toy, or upon a largerscale, with steam or other suitable motive power, as a flying-machine.

The improvement consists in the combination of reversely-arrangedpropellers at opposite ends of a tubular frame on a propellershaft withan interposed torsional spring, and a spring'catch and locking device,as will be hereinafter described.

In the drawing, my aerostat, at Fig. 1, is arranged for a toy. Itconsists of a tubular frame, A, made lightly of stiff paper or othersuitable material. This tube is provided at its opposite ends withpropellers B B, arran ged to revolve in opposite directions, the firstof which is fixed'upon the end of the tube itself, while B is arrangedupon a central shaft, 0, revolving in bearings in the end of the tubularframe. These propellers are constructed of one, two, three, or fourright-angled triangular blades or fans, a, one side of which fans isarranged at right angles to its driving-axis, while their larger acuteangles (1 are deflected away from the said shaft. The fans of the upperand lower propellers are deflected to opposite sides of the axis, sothat when revolving in different directions they shall eo-operate topropel the aerostat in the same direction. The angle made by thehypotenuse of the fans with its base is preferably about that shown inthe drawing; but I do not limit myself to the same, as it may be variedwithout departing from the invention.

With the form of propeller constructed as thus described, I am enabledto secure a much greater lifting effect with a smaller expenditure ofdriving-power than I have been able to obtain by any other construction,as, While the work done is distributed in proportion to the leverage,the deflection of the rear end of the blade secures a free. clearance.This form of propeller, therefore, is best adapted to the purposes of myinvention, whether employed as a. toy or a flying-machine. By locatingthe propeller also at the opposite ends of the frame, and as far apartas possible. there is less slip or loss of motive effect than can beobtained in any other way, the diminution of the said slip being inproportion to the in.- ore-ased distance between the said propellers.

For driving the propellers, I have connected the end of the tubecarrying one propeller with the shaft at the opposite. end carrying theother by means of strips of elastic indiarubber, which not only hold therear propeller-shaft securely in its hearing, but, when twisted by anysuitable means, supplies in untwisting the necessary power for drivingthe two propellers and elevating the aerostat in the air. 7

In Winding up the device the tube is held in one hand, while the shaft 0is rotated by means of a cross-pin, a, a spring-catch, b, servingt-ohold the power which is thus stored up by engaging with the teeth of acircular ratchet, c, affixed to the end of the tubular frame. N ow, whenthe device is to be given to its flight, the spring-catch b is releasedfrom said ratchet, which is effected by releasing the rear end of saidspring-catch from a hook, at, upon shaft 0, that holds it.

The device whichhas thus been described as a toy will be enlarged tocarry freight and passengers. When so constructed a car, S, will besuspended to the tubular frame at a central point between the two fansor propellers, upon a hinge or other like device, as shown in Figs. 3and 4, the object of which will be hereinafter described.

The car will contain a steam-engine or other driving mechanism, and willcarry the passengers and freight. The car will be egg-shaped, orsomething approximating thereto, so that a line drawn longitudinallythrough the center of the car will always be parallel with the horizon.This result will be obtained by means of the hinge beforementioned,universal joints at the points of suspension connecting thedriving mechanism with the fans, and by means of a way out through theegg-shaped car, beginning at the point of suspension A Fig. 3, extendingvertically downward to B thence backward and upward to O", thence upwardand forward to the starting-point A making a passage-way through whichthe tubular frame will swing when operated by the pilot for eh an gin gthe direction of the aerostat from vertical to horizontal flight, orvice versa.

The two fans before described, when the machine begins flight in avertical direction, will, when horizontal flight is desired, thus changetheir position in regard to the ear in a maximum of forty-five degrees,the upper fan canting downward and forward, and the lower fan eanting'upward and backward.

To make the machinery in the car adjust itself to the shafting' in thetubular frame which connects with the fans, universal joints, flexibleshafting, cams, or other devices will be used, or engines will belocated upon the tubular frame, and connection will be had with theboiler upon the car through flexible piping".

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- Thecombination, with the tubular frame A, having one of the propellersrigidly attached thereto at one end, of the propeller-shaft O andpropeller B connected with the tube by means of a torsional spring,together with a spring-catch or locking device, substantially as shownand described.

WILLIAM S. HULL.

Witnesses:

JNo. T. HULL, E. B. COMFORT.

